8/17/2018

If any of you are familiar with the novels of Alexander McCall Smith, particularly the 44 Scotland Street series, you will have heard of Big Lou. She is a delightful character, proprietor of a little Edinburgh coffee shop. All of his characters are well drawn and unique, some uniquely annoying, some just charming and others fascinating. Big Lou is an autodidact with a heart as big as herself.

This particular book, A Time of Love and Tartan, is 12th in his series. As per McCall Smith's style, it is a humorous, even comic, delightfully thought provoking, ramble between the lives of his various recurring characters, couples and families, living at 44 Scotland Street, in their various flats. Some others are featured as well who have moved on, but remain a part of things. Of course, I would recommend you begin the series with the first novel, 44 Scotland Street. Such enjoyable reading, all of them. From the Publishers:

"When Pat accepts her narcissistic ex-boyfriend Bruce's invitation for coffee, she has no idea of the complications in her romantic and professional life that will follow. Meanwhile, Matthew, her boss at the art gallery, attracts the attention of the police after a misunderstanding at the local bookstore.
Whether caused by small things such as a cup of coffee and a book, or major events such as Stuart's application for promotion and his wife Irene's decision to pursue a PhD in Aberdeen, change is coming to Scotland Street. But for three seven-year-old boys--Bertie Pollock, Ranald, and Big Lou's foster son, Finlay--it also means getting a glimpse of perfect happiness..
Alexander McCall Smith's delightfully witty, wise and sometimes surreal comedy spirals out in surprising ways in this new installment, but its heart remains where it has always been, at the center of life in Edinburgh's New Town."

So, back to Big Lou, who was preparing bacon rolls when I had to stop reading, and make a note to do some foodie research. Before moving to Edinburgh, Lou's first job was a long term stint in an Aberdeen Nursing Home. Here we had a background clue to the type of roll she might have been making. It seems Aberdeen is known for a particular breakfast treat - rolls known as butteries, due to the high fat content. These needed to be made and tried. As it turns out they're quite tasty, a sort of cross between roll and Croissant, good with jam as well as bacon. An egg might also be sandwiched in there.

This Aberdeen buttery recipe should make about 16. (I cut mine in half, so as not to eat too many.)

1. Make a paste from the yeast, sugar and a wee bit of the warm water and set
aside. (Note - I don't know about the "wee" bit, I used about 1/4 cup, then added the rest of the water with the flour, as I didn't think a "paste" would bubble properly, but what do I know?)

2. Mix the flour and the salt together. Once the yeast has bubbled up add this
and mix well to a dough and leave to rise.

3. Cream the butter and lard and divide into three portions.

4. Once the dough has doubled in size give it a good knead then roll into a
rectangle about 1/2 " thick.

5. Then spread one portion of the butter mixture over two thirds of the
dough.

6. Fold the remaining third of the dough over onto the butter mixture and fold
the other bit over - giving three layers. Roll this back to the original
size.

7. Allow to cool for 40 minutes. I chilled in the fridge. (it's warm here)

8. Repeat stages 5-7 twice more.

9. Cut the dough into 16 pieces and shape each to a rough circle (another note - I wanted more of a roll shape and made balls) and place on lightly floured baking sheet, leaving 2
inches between each piece to allow for expansion of dough.

10. Cover and let dough rise again until doubled or about 45
minutes.

Bake in a preheated 375°F (160°C) oven for about 15-20
minutes or until golden brown.

Butteries are named after their high butter content. They
are also known as morning rolls and rowies and are a traditional Aberdeen roll.
The best way to describe their look and taste is a saltier, flatter and
greasier Croissant. Which doesnae sound nice, but rowies are really delicious
and filling for breakfast. Aberdeen butteries can be eaten cold and many shops,
garages etc sell them pre-buttered for anyone snatching an on the go breakfast.

Legend has it that the buttery was made for the fishermen
sailing from Aberdeen's
harbour. The theory is that they needed a bread that would not become stale
during the two weeks or more that they were at sea. The high fat content meant
the bread also provided an immediate energy source.[1]

As if you'd need any extra butter? What a lovely breakfast treat, and at our house anyway, there's enough for several days. This post will go over to the August Foodies Read Challenge, and to Beth Fish Reads for her Weekend Cooking event, hosted this week by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen. Be sure to visit both for lots of good food and books.

8/10/2018

So,I have joined a new Challenge group, called Eat the World! This month the group is virtually visiting France, and every month, under the direction of Evelyne of CulturEatz, we visit a new country. Since I love exploring other countries and especially food, this should be a fine adventure.

On the subject of books (don't worry, things will connect eventually) I've been working my way through the wonderful novels of Nevil Shute, and finally decided it was about time I reviewed one. This most recent read, The Far Country, is as well written as his other books, but with the added very interesting context of England and France as compared to Australia, in the years following WWII.

Up to now, I had no idea of the horribly impoverished state England and Europe were reduced to post WWII. Probably a result of reading too many "cozy" mystery novels set in England. The end of the war did not mark the beginning of better times at all. In fact, things got worse for quite awhile. Probably due as much to the "new era of Socialism" as to the loss of all those young men. This novel takes place in the Korean War years of the '50s, and taxes are rising continually, rationing is even more strict, and meat almost totally unavailable. People are starving to death (usually the elderly who don't ask in the right places for help or are ashamed to) in both England and France - Italy as well from what I've read in other books.

8/02/2018

There are a number of authors I go back to again and again, but have never posted about. We need to remedy that situation. Immediately. A favorite of mine has been Laurie R. King, with her Mary Russell series, a woman in partnership with Sherlock Holmes (yes:)), solving mysteries and raising bees. This one I've just finished, The Language of Bees, is ninth in King's series. I do recommend beginning at the beginning with the first, The Beekeeper's Apprentice, or On the Segregation of the Queen. Also a totally excellent read.From the Publishers, on The Language of Bees::
"For Mary Russell and her husband, Sherlock Holmes, returning to the Sussex coast after seven months abroad was especially sweet. There was even a mystery to solve—the unexplained disappearance of an entire colony of bees from one of Holmes’s beloved hives.But the anticipated sweetness of their homecoming is quickly tempered by a galling memory from the past. Mary had met Damian Adler only once before, when the surrealist painter had been charged with—and exonerated from—murder. Now the troubled young man is enlisting the Holmeses’ help again, this time in a desperate search for his missing wife and child.Mary has often observed that there are many kinds of madness, and before this case yields its shattering solution she’ll come into dangerous contact with a fair number of them. From suicides at Stonehenge to the dark secrets of a young woman’s past on the streets of Shanghai, Mary will find herself on the trail of a killer more dangerous than any she’s ever faced—a killer Sherlock Holmes himself may be protecting for reasons near and dear to his heart."

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One of many earrings created by women from the Starfish Project

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On Mother's Day my daughter gave me a lovely pair of earrings made by the women at Starfish Project. So I was able to learn something at the same time, about a wonderful rescue outreach to sexually abused and trafficked women. You can click on the link and find out more.